The present invention pertains generally to an auxiliary power train and controls for operating a vehicle from a location exteriorally of the vehicle.
In use today are trucks equipped with bins and a water tank in which are transported batches or quantities of cement, stone, sand and a quantity of water. Such trucks include a dual purpose conveyor wherein the above concrete ingredients are mixed and discharged onto a prepared ground site. The conveyor is in the form of a positionable discharge chute equipped with an auger. Typically, in discharging the mixed materials, the truck will be moved and the chute will be positioned several times. The driver must necessarily rely on signals from an assistant located at the rear of the truck for subsequent moving of the truck to accomplish discharge of the material in a precise manner to minimize manual effort and hence the labor required in such a delivery operation. In accomplishing a concrete delivery it is common practice to rely on an assistant to instruct the driver as to truck positioning during a delivery operation. Accordingly, the cost of an assistant is incurred or, alternatively reliance on an available party of unknown capability. Further, the imprecise delivery of concrete can necessitate additional paving crew members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,293 discloses a concrete batch truck of the general type which may utilize the present auxiliary power train and controls. U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,656 discloses an auxiliary control system permitting truck operation by a dismounted driver.